Closure device, neck compatible with said device and container comprising such a neck closed by said device

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a device comprising a closure cap ( 11 ), including a base ( 12 ) and a skirt ( 13 ) with an internal thread ( 14 ) adapted to co-operate with an external thread ( 4 ) of the neck ( 2 ) to be closed, and a tamperproof ring ( 16 ), linked by frangible means ( 17 ) to the skirt ( 13 ) and provided with notches ( 19 ) designed to co-operate with complementary notches ( 6 ) provided on the neck ( 2 ). The notches ( 19 ) of the ring ( 16 ) are oriented towards the base ( 12 ) of said closure cap ( 11 ), while the notches ( 6 ) of the neck ( 2 ) are oriented opposite to its outlet ( 2   a ).

[0001] The invention relates to a device for closing a container with threaded neck, to a threaded neck able to be closed by such a device and to a container comprising such a neck closed by such a device.

[0002] In the domain of packaging of liquids, it is known to equip the threaded neck of a bottle with a closure device comprising a cap associated with a tamperproof ring mounted on the neck so that it cannot be removed therefrom. In this way, unscrewing of the cap necessarily results in a rupture of the connection between the cap and this ring. It is known, for example from EP-A-0 330 964, to equip such a tamperproof ring with notches oriented towards the centre of the neck and intended to cooperate with corresponding notches provided on the outer radial surface of the neck. The closure device is placed in position by screwing the cap, the notches of the tamperproof ring then coming opposite the notches provided on the neck, this ring having to expand radially at the end of screwing in order to pass over a retaining flange of the ring in order to position the notches which are opposite one another. The couple necessary for screwing the cap is relatively high since the notches rub on one another. In addition, it happens that the notches provided respectively on the tamperproof ring and on the neck remain in abutment “apex on apex”, which induces a radial expansion of the ring which may result in a plastic deformation thereof. This is very inaesthetic. In addition, the notches provided on the threaded neck project radially towards the outside and may be damaged, for example during manipulations prior to filling a bottle, which reduces the efficiency of the tamperproof ring.

[0003] It is a more particular object of the invention to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a novel closure device in which the screwing couple of the cap is less than in the state of the art while, once in place, the tamperproof ring is retained in sure manner on the neck of the container.

[0004] In this spirit, the invention relates to a device for closing a container with threaded neck which comprises a cap, including a bottom and an internally threaded skirt adapted to cooperate with an external threading of the neck, and a tamperproof ring linked by frangible means to this skirt and equipped with notches provided to cooperate with complementary notches provided on the neck. This device is characterized in that the notches of the ring are oriented in the direction of the bottom of the cap.

[0005] Thanks to the orientation of the notches of the tamperproof ring, they do not have to slide on corresponding notches of the neck during screwing of the cap since they are not oriented radially towards the central axis of this device but towards the bottom of the cap, i.e. substantially towards the opening of the neck of the container to be equipped. Taking into account their orientation, these notches tend to come into mesh with the corresponding notches provided on the neck when an effort tending to unscrew the cap is exerted, since the cap, which moves in the direction of the opening of the neck, tends to pull the sealing ring in the direction of this opening. In other words, in the event of unscrewing, the effort of mesh of the notches of the cap on the notches of the neck becomes gradually greater until the frangible means provided on the cap break. In addition, even if the operation of screwing the cap results in an “apex on apex” abutment of the notches of the tamperproof ring and of the notches of the neck, no radial deformation of the tamperproof ring occurs, with the result that the aesthetics and functionality of this ring are not affected thereby. Taking into account the mode of mesh of the notches provided respectively on the tamperproof ring and on the neck, the former can be provided with heights of teeth much less than in the devices of the state of the art, a saving of material thus being able to be made.

[0006] According to advantageous but non-obligatory aspects of the invention, the device incorporates one or more of the following characteristics:

[0007] The notches are formed on an annular surface of an internal projection of the tamperproof ring. This annular surface advantageously extends in a plane, substantially perpendicular to a central axis of the device. In particular, this annular surface may be substantially parallel to the bottom of the cap.

[0008] The projection is provided with a substantially truncated surface convergent in the direction of the bottom of the cap. This surface may cooperate with a corresponding surface of the neck to constitute a ramp for radial expansion of the tamperproof ring when the device is positioned on the neck of a container.

[0009] The notches are inclined, each notch having a first face oriented towards the annular skirt of the cap and a second face inclined with respect to this first face. The inclined nature of the notches allows a movement of these notches with respect to the corresponding notches provided on the neck in a sense of screwing of the device, but opposes a movement in a sense of unscrewing.

[0010] The invention also relates to a threaded neck of a container which may be closed with a device such as described hereinabove and which is characterized in that it comprises notches oriented opposite the opening of the neck with respect to an outer radial flange thereof.

[0011] Such a neck may be easily moulded and the orientation of the notches that it comprises allows them to be operational as soon as a traction is exerted on a closure device in a sense of opening of the container, these notches not tending to expand a tamperproof ring radially.

[0012] According to advantageous but non-obligatory aspects of the invention, this neck incorporates one or more of the following characteristics:

[0013] The notches are formed on an annular surface of the flange extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to a central axis of the neck.

[0014] The flange is provided with a truncated surface convergent in the direction of the opening of the neck, this surface forming a ramp for radial expansion of a tamperproof ring during positioning of a closure device.

[0015] The notches are inclined, each notch having a first face parallel to a central axis of the neck and a second face inclined with respect to this first face.

[0016] Finally, the invention relates to a container comprising a neck as described hereinabove closed by a device as described hereinabove.

[0017] The invention will be more readily understood and other advantages thereof will appear more clearly in the light of the following description of a form of embodiment of a container provided with a neck in accordance with the invention closed thanks to a device in accordance with the invention, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0018]FIG. 1 is an axial section of a closure device and of the part forming the neck of a container in accordance with the invention, before the device is mounted on the neck.

[0019]FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 when the device is being mounted on the neck.

[0020]FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 when the device is mounted on the neck, and

[0021]FIG. 4 is a partial section along line IV-IV in FIG. 3.

[0022] The container 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is a bottle of which the neck 2 is made in one piece with the principal part 3 of the bottle 1. The neck 2 is provided with an external thread 4.

[0023] X₂ denotes a central axis of the neck 2, this axis being an axis of symmetry of revolution of the neck 2, apart from the fact that the thread 4 is inclined. 2 a denotes the opening of the neck 2, i.e. the disc-shaped surface constituting the boundary between the internal volume of the neck 2 and the outside of the container 1.

[0024] The neck 2 is provided with an external flange 5 defined between a substantially truncated surface 5 a convergent in the direction of the opening 2 a and an annular surface 5 b substantially perpendicular to axis X₂. P₅ denotes the geometrical plane of the surface 5 b. This plane is perpendicular to axis X₂.

[0025] According to the invention, the surface 5 b is provided with notches 6 which extend in the direction of a lower flange 7 and the principal part 3 of the body 2. The notches 6 are thus opposite the opening 2 a with respect to the flange 5.

[0026] The closure device 10 provided to be mounted on the neck 2 is centred on a axis X₁₀.

[0027] The device 10 comprises a cap 11 of which the bottom 12 extends in a cylindrical skirt 13 provided with an internal thread 14 adapted to cooperate with the thread 4.

[0028] The bottom 12 is also provided with a second skirt 15 intended to come into abutment against the internal cylindrical surface 2 b of the neck in the vicinity of the opening 2 a. The skirt 15 is equipped with an outer bead 15 a intended to improve the seal of the abutment of the skirt 15 against the surface 2 b.

[0029] The device 10 also comprises a tamperproof ring 16 connected to the cap 11 by frangible or breakable zones 17 defined between openings 18 made between the ring 16 and the cap 11.

[0030] The shape of the openings depends on a choice of design and is not limited to that shown. According to a variant of the invention (not shown), the openings 18 may extend in the direction of the bottom 12 of the cap 11.

[0031] The ring 16 is equipped with an inner ring 19 defined between a truncated surface 19 a convergent in the direction of the bottom 12 and an annular surface 19 b substantially perpendicular to the axis X₁₀. P₁₉ denotes the geometrical plane of the surface 19 b. This plane is substantially perpendicular to axis X₁₀ and parallel to the bottom 12 of the cap 11.

[0032] In accordance with the invention, the surface 19 b is provided with notches 20 which extend in the direction of the neck 12 and of which the geometry is such that they can cooperate with the notches 6 provided on the neck 2.

[0033] As is visible in FIG. 2, when the device 10 is screwed on the neck 2, the threads 4 and 14 cooperate and the surface 19 a comes into contact with the surface 5 a, these surfaces sliding against each other, which has the effect of radially expanding the ring 16, as represented by arrows F₁, in FIG. 2.

[0034] Screwing continues until the surface 19 b passes beyond the surface 5 b in the direction of arrow F₂ in FIG. 2, which brings the ring 16 into the configuration of FIGS. 3 and 4 where the notches 10 are opposite the notches 6.

[0035] In particular, while the device 10 is being positioned on the neck 2, the notches 19 are not stressed radially, this avoiding a risk of rupture or of plastic deformation of the ring 16. In addition, the radial expansion of this ring during this movement is progressive and uniformly distributed about axes X₂ and X₁₀ as it results from the slide of the surface 19 a on the surface 5 a.

[0036] In this configuration, if it is attempted to unscrew the cap 11, the beginning of the movement of the cap has the effect of displacing the ring 16, which is still fast with this cap, in the direction of the opening 2 a, with the result that the notches 20 come into mesh with the notches 6 and the ring 16 is firmly immobilized with respect to the neck 2. If the movement of unscrewing is continued, the zones 17 are broken and the cap 11 is separated from the ring 16, which a subsequent user of the container 1 can immediately notice.

[0037] As is more particularly visible in FIG. 4, the notches 20 and 6 are inclined. More precisely, the notches 6 each have a face 6a substantially parallel to the axis X₂ and a face 6 b inclined with respect to the face 6 a. In the same way, the notches 20 have a face 20 a substantially parallel to the axis X₁₀, i.e. oriented in the direction of the skirt 13, and a face 10 b inclined with respect to this face 10 a. Taking into account the inclined geometry of the notches 6 and 20, the latter are compatible with a movement of screwing of the device 10 on the neck 2, this resulting in a displacement in the direction of arrow F₃ in FIG. 4, but oppose a movement of unscrewing as represented by arrow F₄, the surfaces 10 a in that case coming into abutment against the surfaces 6 a.

[0038] Taking into account the mode of interaction between the notches 6 and 20, the latter may have relatively small heights. In practice, the height h₆ of the notches 6 may be included between 0.3 and 0.5 mm, in the same way as the height h₂₀ of the notches 20.

[0039] The invention has been represented with a neck 2 and a closure device 10 both provided with notches over the whole periphery of the flange 5 and of the ring 19. However, it is possible to provide notches over only a part of one or of these two projecting members.

[0040] In particular, it is possible to provide only four notches 6 on the neck 2, two notches being made at the level of the plan of join between the two halves of this neck, while two other notches are provided in a plane substantially perpendicular to this plan of join.

[0041] The notches 6 are provided so that they can be demoulded by the so-called “shell” principle.

[0042] The neck 2 may be in one piece with the principal part 3 of the container 1 or connected thereon. 

1. Device for closing a container with threaded neck, said device comprising: a cap, including a bottom and an internally threaded skirt adapted to cooperate with an external threading of said neck, and a tamperproof ring linked by frangible means to said skirt and equipped with notches provided to cooperate with complementary notches provided on said neck, characterized in that said notches (20) of said ring (16) are oriented in the direction of said bottom (12) of said cap (11).
 2. Closure device according to claim 1, characterized in that said notches (20) are formed on an annular surface (19 b) of an internal projection (19) of said tamperproof ring (16).
 3. Closure device according to claim 2, characterized in that said annular surface (19 b) extends in a plane (P₁₉) substantially perpendicular to a central axis (X₁₀) of said device.
 4. Closure device according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that said annular surface (19 b) is substantially parallel to said bottom (12) of said cap (11).
 5. Device according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that said projection (19) is provided with a substantially truncated surface (19 a) convergent in the direction of said bottom (12) of said cap (11).
 6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said notches (10) are inclined, each notch having a first face (20 a) oriented towards said annular skirt (13) and a second face (20 b) inclined with respect to said first face.
 7. Threaded neck of container adapted to be closed by a device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises notches (6) oriented opposite the opening (2 a) of said neck (2) with respect to an external radial flange (5) of said neck.
 8. Neck according to claim 7, characterized in that said notches (6) are formed on an annular surface (5 b) of said flange (5) extending in a plane (P₅) substantially perpendicular to a central axis (X₂) of said neck (2).
 9. Neck according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that said flange (5) is provided with a truncated surface (5 a) convergent in the direction of the opening (2 a) of said neck (2).
 10. Neck according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that said notches (6) are inclined, each notch having a first face (6 a) parallel to a central axis (X₂) of said neck (2) and a second face (6 b) inclined with respect said first face.
 11. Container (1) comprising a neck (2) according to one of claims 7 to 10, closed by a device (10) according to one of claims 1 to
 6. 